Richmond Municipal Code Ch. 7.80 Trampoline Centers

It is unlawful for any person to do or cause to be done directly or indirectly any of the following acts:

(a) Construct, install, maintain or operate any trampoline center unless and until a permit for such maintenance and operation has been issued in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(b) Construct, install, maintain or operate any trampoline center otherwise than in accordance with the regulations prescribed by this chapter.

As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases are defined as follows:

(a) COUNCIL: The city council of the city of Richmond.

(b) HEALTH OFFICER: The health director of the city of Richmond or his duly authorized agent.

(c) OPEN TO PUBLIC USE: Any trampoline which by permission of the proprietor or operator is used by, or subject to the use of, any member of the general public, or restricted to the use of any members of any firm, association, club or organization. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent the operator at his discretion from at any time restricting the use of one or more trampolines on any trampoline center to the use of members of any firm, association, club or organization, whether or not said trampoline is at the same time open to public use.

(d) OPERATOR: The individual in control of the management and operation of a trampoline center, or any person acting by and with the authority of the person so in control;

(e) PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR: The Parks and Recreation Director of the City of Richmond or his duly authorized agent;

(f) PERMIT: A permit to maintain and operate a trampoline center issued under the provisions of this chapter and which permit shall be separate and distinct from any other business license or permit which may otherwise be issued for the conduct of any business other than that of a trampoline center, and shall be in addition to any business license required for the conduct of said business within said City;

(g) PROPRIETOR: The owner of the business of maintaining and operating a trampoline center;

(h) SUPERINTENDENT OF BUILDING REGULATIONS: The Superintendent of Building Regulations and Conservation of the City of Richmond or his duly authorized agent;

(i) TRAMPOLINE: Any trampoline, rebound or recoil tumbling mat or net, bounce-mat or bounce-net, or any similar rebound or recoil device or apparatus of any type of construction or installation designed for use or used by any person for bouncing, springing, acrobatic tumbling, gymnastic activity, or any other amusement, recreational or athletic purpose;

(j) TRAMPOLINE CENTER: Any recreational, amusement or athletic facility open to the use of the general public within or upon which any trampoline is installed, maintained or operated for such use and irrespective of whether or not a change is made for the use of any trampoline within or upon any facility;

(k) TRAMPOLINE SUPERVISOR: A qualified individual employed to supervise, direct and control the use of trampolines within a trampoline center.

Application for a permit shall be made in writing to the Parks and Recreation Director upon such form as shall be prescribed by him and shall be signed by the proprietor or his duly authorized agent.

Upon the application the applicant shall specify the following:

(a) Location of the proposed trampoline center;

(b) Land use zone in which the location is situate;

(c) Name and address of the principal place of business of proprietor;

(d) Proprietor's business structure, whether individual, corporation, partnership, association, etc.;

(e) Name and address of the proprietor and of the operator;

(f) Name and address of the owner of the real property upon which the trampoline center will be located;

(g) Nature of installation, viz: (1) pit-type, (2) skid type, (3) open ground, or (4) enclosed within roofed building or other structure;

(h) Number of trampolines to be installed and operated. The application shall contain a statement as follows: "Attached hereto and made a part of this application by specific reference are the plans and specifications of the proposed trampoline center."

The Parks and Recreation Director and the Superintendent of Building Regulations are hereby required to review the application and the plans and specifications to ascertain compliance with the provisions of this chapter, and shall forward their reports and recommendations thereon to the Council.

(a) Applicant shall attach to and file with the application detailed plans and specifications; each sheet of which shall be identified by the signature of the applicant.

(b) No application shall be received or filed unless or until said plans are attached thereto.

(c) All plans shall be drawn to scale of a ratio of not less than one-eighth inch to the foot.

(d) The plans shall detail all construction and installations in and upon the trampoline center with respect to all of the following:

(1) Ground-plan or floor-plan layout which shall clearly indicate all the following:

(i) Size and location of all trampolines; size shall be indicated by the overall dimension of the frame of the trampoline;

(ii) Size and location of all padding covering the framework of all trampolines;

(iii) Location and height of all fences, walls or other barricades or partitions in or upon or enclosing the trampoline center;

(iv) If the center is installed within the enclosure of any building, the floor-plan shall indicate by notation thereon the net overhead distance between the mat or net of the trampoline and the ceiling or roof overlaying the same;

(v) Location and height of all poles bearing illumination fixtures; number of lights per pole and wattage per individual light;

(vi) Location and height of all power-line poles, other than poles bearing illumination fixtures;

(vii) Course and minimum height of all overhead electric wiring with indication of all voltage carried thereby;

(viii) Size and location of any ticket office, observation booth or any other building or structure of similar use;

(ix) Size and location of all benches, chairs, settees, lounges, tables, counters, bleachers, grandstands or other furniture or installations for the seating or other accommodation or use of any person;

(x) Size and location of all entrances and exits;

(xi) Size and location of all off-street parking;

(xii) Layout of public address system and specifications of wattage rating of amplifier;

(xiii) Size and location of all other buildings, structures or installations, real or personal, constructed, installed or being within or upon the trampoline center.

(2) Elevation plan which shall clearly indicate the following:

(i) Cross-section detail of pit-type trampoline installation;

(ii) Design of any ticket office or booth, observation booth or any building or structure of similar use;

(iii) Design of any other building or other structure or installation designed or used for any occupancy for any purpose by any person.

(a) No application shall be received or filed unless or until the plans referred to in Section 7.80.060 hereof and the following specifications are attached thereto; nothing herein provided shall be deemed to prevent the applicant from attaching to the application one or more combined plan and specification sheets.

(b) The specifications shall detail all the following:

(i) Type of trampoline;

(ii) Type of trampoline padding;

(iii) If other than pit-type installation detailed under Section 7.80.060 (2) (i), detail of support of trampoline and manner of securing to ground and/or floor;

(iv) Type of all materials;

(v) Illumination;

(vi) Public address system;

(vii) Ground and/or floor surfacing, including off-street parking;

(viii) Type of any other equipment or other installation not otherwise particularly mentioned herein;

(ix) Any further specification or plan which the Superintendent of Building Regulations may reasonably require in order to enable him to determine compliance with the provisions of this chapter;

(x) Whenever any manufacturer's specification is on file with the Superintendent of Building Regulations reference to same may be made by manufacturer's name and model number or name or other particular designation and without further specification; if manufacturer's specification is not on file with the Superintendent of Building Regulations the applicant may file same with said Superintendent of Building Regulations and thereafter make reference to the same as hereinbefore provided.

(a) The Parks and Recreation Director shall forthwith transmit the application to the Superintendent of Building Regulations for his consideration. The Superintendent of Building Regulations shall review said application and make his recommendation in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. If the Superintendent of Building Regulations disapproves the application upon grounds of failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter, he shall forthwith endorse such disapproval upon the application and return the same to the Parks and Recreation Director, and thereafter the Parks and Recreation Director shall take no further action upon the application other than to advise the applicant of such disapproval by said Superintendent of Building Regulations.

(b) If the Superintendent of Building Regulations approves the application, he shall report his approval and recommendation thereon and return the application so noted to the Parks and Recreation Director.

(c) Upon receipt of any application so approved, the Parks and Recreation Director shall thereupon consider said application in all other respects as required by this chapter and shall make his report and recommendation thereon to the Council.

The Council of the City of Richmond may, in its discretion, grant a permit is accordance with this chapter, or may deny an application therefor and such action by the Council shall be final and conclusive.

Construction and installation regulations are prescribed as follows:

(a) Measured from the inside dimension of the frame, the minimum distances between trampolines shall be: end-to-end (longitudinal): five feet; side-to-side (lateral): four feet.

(b) All trampoline frames shall be completely and securely covered with padding of approved type construction and dimension.

(c) No structure or any part thereof, and no other object of any kind or description, except trampoline frame padding, shall be erected, placed or maintained on the surface of the ground and/or floor of any trampoline center within any of the following distances measured from the outside dimension of the frame of any trampoline, to wit:

(1) Within an extension laterally of the end-lines of the frame or the trampoline: six feet;

(2) Within an extension longitudinally of the sidelines of the frame of the trampoline: six feet;

(3) Upon an extension of the diagonal between opposite corners of a trampoline: two feet.

(d) Any ceiling, roof or other covering overlaying any trampoline shall be not less than 15 feet above the mat or net of the trampoline.

(e) With reference to any pit-type installation of any trampoline, the pit shall be excavated, constructed and maintained to provide a shelf or ledge beneath all springs, elastic bands or other recoil or rebound mechanism attached to the mat or net and which shelf or ledge shall be positioned and dimensioned as follows: not less than 12 inches nor more than 16 inches below such springs, elastic bands, recoil or rebound mechanism and of a width sufficient to extend laterally below all of such springs, elastic bands, recoil or rebound mechanism less two inches outside and below the perimeter of the mat or net. All other portions of the pit beneath the mat or net shall be excavated, constructed and maintained to a depth of 36 inches with a downward side and end slope of approximately one-to-one from the inner edge of such shelf or ledge. The pit bottom shall be covered with not less than four inches of gravel or equivalent material which will aid in seepage of drainage or rainwater without ponding, except in porous sandy or gravel soils.

(f) All trampolines other than pit-type installations shall be firmly secured to the ground or floor.

(g) Any ticket office, observation booth or other structure of similar purpose and use shall be designed with sufficient sash and/or sash-and door combination to provide to any occupant of any such structure a clear and unobstructed view of the entire trampoline center.

(h) Any trampoline open to public use between the hours of one hour after location sunset to one hour before location sunrise shall be illuminated with a light intensity of not less than five foot-candles at the level of the trampoline mat or net, and all electroliers or light poles shall be padded from the ground to a height of five feet.

(i) Any provision of any law of the City of Richmond to the contrary notwithstanding, there shall be installed and maintained upon every trampoline center a public address system of sufficient capacity, design and volume to provide at all times a voice-transmission clearly audible to all persons within and upon the trampoline center. Such public address system shall be operated at all times for the primary purpose of directing and controlling the activities of all persons within and upon the center. The operating sound-level of such public address system shall at no time exceed 20 decibels measured at 50 feet at any point beyond the perimeter of the trampoline center.

(j) The perimeter of the entire trampoline center shall be enclosed with an approved fence.

(k) A telephone shall be maintained that is easily or readily accessible, and the emergency numbers of ambulance services and of the Fire Department and Police Department shall be posted conspicuously on or near said telephone.

(l) All trampolines equipped with springs shall have a cord of sufficient strength running cross-wise through all of the springs of said trampoline so as to prevent any of the springs from being ejected or thrown into the air in case of accidental disconnection of said springs from said trampoline.

(m) The space between trampolines and surrounding such trampolines shall be leveled with uncrushed well-rock or river gravel of three-eighths inch or less.

Drinking facilities shall be provided at each location, consisting of a sanitary drinking fountain or bottled water and paper cups available in a suitable, sanitary dispenser.

Approved, water-flush type toilet facilities for both sexes shall be provided on the premises. The manager of the facility shall see that such toilets and appurtenances are open and properly maintained whenever their facility is open.

The Parks and Recreation Director shall approve an applicant's qualification as a trampoline supervisor if his investigation discloses:

(a) That the statements in the application are true;

(b) That the applicant has good moral character;

(c) That he is at least 21 years of age;

(d) That he has demonstrated his ability to perform the following trampoline maneuvers:

(1) Feet bounce

(2) Knees bounce

(3) Seat-drop

(4) Hands and knees bounce

(5) Front-drop

(6) Back-drop

(7) Such other maneuvers as the Parks and Recreation Director in his judgment shall require.

(e) That he has demonstrated a knowledge of the safety requirements of this chapter and suchother safety rules as the Parks and Recreation Director shall deem pertinent.

The Parks and Recreation Director shall either approve or deny the application and notify the applicant of its decision within 30 days of the receipt thereof. The decision of the Parks and Recreation Director in approving or denying the application shall be final.

Approval of applications of trampoline supervisors shall be suspended or revoked by the Parks and Recreation Director if the applicant is convicted of any felony or of any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, or engages in any activity which violates the requirements of any Codes of the State of California or requirements of this chapter.

A trampoline supervisor shall at all times be a qualified holder of a first aid certificate of a minimum required standard equal to the standard first aid certificate of the American Red Cross.

It shall be unlawful for:

(a) Any person conducting, managing, carrying on or owning the business of operating a trampoline center, or any employee thereof, to permit or otherwise allow more than one person to jump, bounce or tumble upon, or perform tricks, stunts or acrobatics upon, or otherwise use, a trampoline at any one time.

(b) Any person to jump, bounce or tumble upon, or perform tricks, stunts or acrobatics upon, or otherwise use, a trampoline while any other person is jumping, bouncing or tumbling upon, or performing tricks, stunts or acrobatics upon, or otherwise using, the same trampoline.

(c) Any person conducting, managing, carrying on or owning the business of operating a trampoline center, or any employee thereof, to permit or otherwise allow a person to perform advanced tricks, stunts or acrobatics, such as the somersault, twist, or any variation or variations thereof on any trampoline unless there be present and observing at least two trampoline supervisors.

(d) Any person to perform advanced tricks, stunts or acrobatics, such as the somersault, twist, or any variation or variations thereof on any trampoline unless there be present and observing at least two trampoline supervisors.

(e) Any person to perform advanced tricks, stunts or acrobatics, such as the somersault, twist or any variation or variations thereof, unless permission has been secured from the manager or the trampoline supervisor of the trampoline center.

(f) Any person conducting, managing, carrying on or owning the business of operating a trampoline center, or any employee thereof, to permit or otherwise allow any child six years of age or younger to jump, bounce or tumble upon, or perform tricks, stunts or acrobatics upon, or otherwise use any trampoline, unless there be present and observing the parent of said child or a responsible person of the age of 18 years or over designated by the said parent.

(a) Any trampoline center, when open to public use, shall at all times be under the immediate and continuous supervision, direction and control of a trampoline supervisor.

(b) It shall be the duty of the trampoline supervisor to supervise, direct and control the public use of any trampoline within or upon any trampoline center.

(c) The duty hereby imposed upon the trampoline supervisor shall not be construed to prohibit such supervisor from doing or performing other or additional acts or duties within and upon a trampoline center; provided expressly, however, that no such other additional activity or duty shall in any manner or degree limit, restrict or otherwise infringe materially upon the duty of the trampoline supervisor as imposed by the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

(d) Whenever any trampoline is open to public use upon any trampoline center there shall be on continuous duty therein one or more trampoline supervisors; the required number of such supervisors is prescribed as follows:

(1) Six trampolines or less open to public use: One supervisor.

(2) For each additional six trampolines or fraction thereof open to public use: One additional supervisor for each such additional six trampolines or any fraction thereof.

(e) Whenever one or more trampolines upon any trampoline center are closed to public use the trampolines so closed to such use shall be separated from the trampolines open to public use in such appropriate manner as shall deny access by any person to the area within or upon which are located the closed trampolines; whenever any one or more trampolines are so closed to public use the operator shall deny access to such closed area to any person other than the agents or employees of the operator.

It shall be unlawful for any person to conduct, manage, carry on or own the business of operating a trampoline center unless there shall be posted in a conspicuous place a sign prominently displaying thereon the requirements of Section 7.80.130 of this chapter. Nothing herein is intended to preclude the posting of any other safety rules.

It shall be unlawful for any person to conduct, manage, carry on or own the business of operating a trampoline center unless he carries for each trampoline in the trampoline center legal liability insurance for personal injury in limits of at least $50,000.00 for any one occurrence, with at least $25,000.00 for any one person per occurrence.

Any peace officer of the City of Richmond, County of Contra Costa, or of the State of California shall have free access at all times to any trampoline center.

It shall be unlawful for any person conducting, managing, carrying on or owning the business of operating a trampoline center, or any employee thereof, to harbor, admit or receive, or to permit to be or remain in or about such place, any lewd or dissolute person of either sex, any intoxicated or boisterous person or any person under the influence of intoxicating liquors or drugs, or any person whose conduct while present in said place tends to create a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or any of the laws of this City or the State of California, or which tends in any way to corrupt the good morals of any person or persons on the premises of said place, or in any way interferes with the proper management or control of such trampoline centers.

All accidents of a nature to cause unconsciousness, broken or sprained extremities or bones, removal, breaking or loosening of teeth, hemorrhaging or lacerations which may require suturing, or eye injuries shall be reported to the Health Officer, in writing, unless the Health Officer agrees to accept a verbal or telephonic report. Records thereof shall be maintained on the premises of all medical aid or care administered. The proprietor shall keep, in place readily available at all times to himself or his employees, the phone number of available emergency medical service. A telephone shall be available at the premises for emergency use at all times when the trampoline center is in operation. All accidents or injuries shall be directed to competent care for handling and disposition. An adequate first-aid kit approved by the Health Department shall be maintained and be available on the premises for emergency care of minor nature and shall be replenished as needed.

(a) A permit issued under the provisions of this chapter may be suspended by the Council for any violation by any operator or proprietor of any provision of this chapter or for any failure by either to comply with the regulations herein provided.

(b) Except as may be otherwise provided, no such suspension shall exceed a period of 30 days.

(c) Notice of any such suspension shall be given in writing to the proprietor or operator.

(d) Service of notice of suspension may be made by personal service upon the proprietor or operator or by mail in the manner provided by Sections 1012 and following of the Code of Civil Procedure of the State of California.

(Source: Ordinance No. 1671)